Content Critique: BookBook for iPhone

PC users: If you’re having a good day, read on. If not, you may want to skip this post. Today’s product page is from Twelve South, a company that loves Apple like Internet loves cat memes. In its own words: “We are here to please the true Mac fan because the best computers in the world deserve the best accessories in the world.”

Because I own an iPhone, I am officially qualified to evaluate the BookBook product page. And I must say, Twelve South certainly knows how to pay tribute. The company’s adulation of Apple is more than lip service; the site is clean, easy to navigate, and full of white space. The product itself has an unusual spin–it’s an iPhone case/wallet hybrid. And the aesthetic of the case, while not shiny or minimalistic, is suited for Apple’s fashion-conscious market.

The introduction: 5 pings

The BookBook intro is a textbook example of stellar content. It sums up the main features of the product. It’s distinguished from the rest of the description by location, font color, and header style. Is it a coincidence that the introduction is located on the left side of the screen immediately below images of the product where it falls within the golden triangle, or F pattern, or whatever you want to call it, of eyetracking studies? I doubt it.

Informative copy: 5 pings

In a word: brilliant. The product description covers all features of the BookBook and does so in sentences that don’t feel like they were churned out by clueless marketers or freelance writers running on three hours of sleep and as many pots of coffee.

Remember the “Get a Mac” ad campaign? In that series, Apple pushed the universal functionality of their products. Twelve South has a similar approach to selling the BookBook: “It’s a check book, phone book, address book, picture book, audio book. You get the idea.” Let’s put it this way: If BookBook is as good as its product description, it is a worthy case for a device from a company that can get away with joking about the semantics of the word “touché” in its ad content.

Effective images: 5 pings

Just in case anything is missing from the description, the product page has a gallery full of lifestyle shots such as these:

Even better, each image is accompanied by a little blurb. The text appears when I hover over an image–finally, a good use for the dreaded insta-pop-up box.

What’s in the box: 4 pings

This part of the product page is oddly clumsy. A “What’s in the box?” section appears under tech specs. The section consists of an image and the product name off to the right, which makes about as much sense to me as does Mr. Bean’s performance in this Mac vs. Pc ad: Yes! Wait, what?

Design: 4 pings

I’ve waited a long time to see a blog page linked from a retail site that includes a link back to the product page. That day has come.

Some quirks: Product dimensions don’t appear under tech specs, are listed only in millimeters, and are hard to read. The product video is scattered about the page; I didn’t mind this until I found it heading up the FAQ section. But since this video aims to answer the question “Will BookBook get me laid?” I suppose it’s appropriate.